Clip for metal shelving



Jan. 21, 1958 E; H. ouN'r r 2,820,

cu? FOR mam. samvme Filed Sept. 2, 1954 v I INYENTOR Edward 11.11am.

ATTORNEY United States Paterit O CLIP FOR lVlETAL SHELVING Edward H. Mount, Wellston, Ohio, Gallagher Manufacturing Co., poration of Ohio assignor to The Frick- Wellston, Ohio, a cor- This invention relates to metal shelving, more particularly to a shelf supporting clip.

Heretofore, it has been generally customary in practice to connect shelf supporting clip elements by a stud. However, this arrangement has the disadvantage that the stud does not adequately compensate for variations in thickness of the upright, shelf stock, or presence or absence of a panel between the clip parts. Moreover, where a stud is used, the clip elements constituting the support cannot be readily held, initially, in assembled relation, because the clip parts tend to fall away from each other, and, in order to overcome this difficulty it has been necessary to manually hold the parts of the clip together while assembling them with the shelf. Thus, considerable time and unnecessary labor is required to make the installation.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a pair of complementary clip elements to be placed at each side of a shelving upright, and which are held together by a screw fastening passing through registering openings in the body of each clip element and in whatever additional elements are interposed between them. This arrangement has the advantage that the clip elements may be assembled at selected elevations along the upright, and by exerting rotary finger pressure on the screw, the clip parts are held together with suflicient force to avoid further tightening of the screw because upon placement of the shelf flange between the clip and the upright, suflicient bulk is provided to wedge the clip parts against the shelf, thereby making the installation rigid without further tightening.

A further object of the invention is to provide clip elements each having special shank and body formations which lend themselves to conventional stamping proce dures, and which in final form contribute materially to mounting the shelves with facility and finally clamping them in selected positions.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a shelving upright with the clips of the present invention in place. The upper clip has been made fast to the upright, and the lower clip shows its elements in loose assembled relationship.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the clip elements pulled apart to better observe their structural features.

Similar references designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawing.

The T-section shelving upright is designated generally as A and is provided with a vertical series of circular 2,820,551 Patented. Jan. 21,1958

openings or holes B vertically spaced to effect the placing of shelves at selected locations.

The shelving C is of conventional type having the usual fiat supporting surface and the downturned stiffening flanges D. These flanges at the end of each shelf are intended to be placed within and supported by the present invention, as will be apparent from Figs. 1 and 2.

The supporting clip comprises a pair of complementary clip elements E and F. These elements are of duplicate construction except that one, for example, the element E is provided with a plain round hole 1 while the other is provided with a threaded opening or hole 2 to receive a screw type fastening 3.

Since the clip elements E and F are otherwise of similar construction, a description of one will suflice for the other.

Each clip element comprises a body including an upright engaging shank 4 of transversely arched formation and provided at its edges with the lateral flanges 5 which engage the related surface of the upright A. The holes 1 and 2 are formed in the shank 4.

The shank 4 of each clip element is provided with an upwardly extending shelf clamp extension 6. This extension is generally bowed or pressed outwardly and its upper inturned edges are provided with a curved forma tion 7 merging into a slightly undercut flat edge 8 terminating in a lower are substantially at the junction of the flanges 5 with the body 4. The extension is also provided with one or more outwardly pressed angularly disposed ribs 9 and 10 which are preferably spaced so as to leave the medial portion of the extension free while the edges 7 and 8 are stitfeued by the rib formation.

The effect of the compound curve 7 is to provide a rounded portion which facilitates the entry of the flange D into the pocket formed by edges 7 and 8 and the outer face of the upright. Thus, the edges 7 and 8 provide adequate space for receiving the upturned bead portion of the flange D of the shelf so that when the screw 3 is made tight the parts of the clip will clampingly engage the flange D and secure it against accidental upward displacement.

If it is desired to rearrange the shelf locations, it is simply necessary to back off the screw 3, arrange the clip elements E and F at the desired locations and reapply the screws 3 to hold the clip elements in place and support the shelves at the desired elevation.

I claim:

In combination with an upright having a series of vertically spaced openings and a pair of shelves having depending flanges, a clamp structure for securing said shelves to said upright, comprising, a pair of complementary clamp elements each including a body having a lower shank and an upper shelf clamping extension, the shank of one element having a plain hole and the other having a threaded hole, both of said holes adapted for registering with a related opening in the upright, said extension on each clamp element having inner edge portions curved outwardly and downwardly and terminating in the zone of the upper end of the shank to provide a shelf flange receiving pocket in cooperation with the upright, whereby shelf flange receiving pockets are provided on both sides of said upright, each clamp element being formed with a pair of stiffening ribs each located adjacent the shelf flange-engaging marginal edge portions of the extension, said stiffening ribs being defined by longitudinally ex tending spaced embossments, said embossments diverging outwardly toward the free edge of the upper shelf clamping extension, whereby a surface is provided between said embossments, and a screw fastening freely passing through said plain hole and engaging the complementary threaded hole to adjustably mount both clip elements on the upright and secure the flanges of the shelves in selected posi- V wgszo a tion whereby'said other clip adjustably engages said screw 1,238,215 Terrell V Aug. 28, 1917 and simultaneously supports its associated shelf flange. 1,433,934 Callahan Oct. 31, 1922 2,172,248 Kost Sept. 5, 1939 References Cited in the file f this patent 7 2,604,213 Bales July 22, 1952;

U D STATE PATE TS 5 2,631,913 Rosenberg Mar. 17, 1953 

